For Gardens of Eden Everywhere.

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I was a winter baby. Born under grey skies, frost, fire,lightning, storms, and snow. But that was never my true nature. I'm mainly a creature of honey, sunlight and butterflies by instinct- split through with occasional shards of darkness, starlight and shadow. Only in 'Spring' did I come to know this though... my first 'Spring' spent truly alive....experiencing that torrent of joyful emotions during that early awakening into my own personal Garden of Eden. "Oh Yes! This will do me nicely," I thought. "This is me."
 I was still at the crawling stage then. A furtive rug rat escaped into the family garden from the gloom of the home. New smells, new colours, new under knee surfaces, new burning ball above and a porcelain dish sky filled with little flapping and buzzing things.
And then the fall.... dragged back inside to sit with Lucifer... garden denied me.

So it's a lifelong attraction that's never dimmed.

Gardens of Eden can be anywhere. A single splash of colour against a blue sky. A feeling inside you. A smile. Meeting a stranger who turns, usually unexpectedly, into a best friend over the years.

Or signs of new life in a pond.

.....or a nicely composed photograph, capturing a mallard duck just where you want it to be against a scenic backdrop. Even the quack bottled away in this one with an open beak. Victoria Park near Jordanhill in these photos.

My intention on this trip was simply to capture 'The Flourish' in Glasgow- that moment when the spring colours reach their zenith... vivid... spectacular... sensationally bright. The 'Flourish' only lasts a few short weeks- three weekends usually- so if poor weather or anything else interrupts a visit during what may effectively be six prime non working days in a year- it's easily missed.

A large thrush. Except for those with an internal body clock that is.

Courting pigeons. A strutting, head bobbing male in action. I've noticed over the years some ardent pigeon fanciers sometimes imitate these head bobbing and strutting dances in the street in human form to call flying birds home or attract new captives down into their roost when they think no ones looking. Maybe it does work. Positive thinking certainly gets you a long way. I've often thought this method could be used instead of dating sites for people...no awkward first date meals or tricky conversations required  just a long row of pouting, strutting, foot slapping eager males and the females pick a winner. No fights to the death, teeth marks, or locking horns in the pigeon world. They've got it sussed.

Hoverfly and rhododendrons.

Cherry Blossom.

Interesting to note here that these swans have collected a discarded sign saying 'Save our Swans' for their nesting material. A good choice of advertisement. It states that swans are being poisoned by people feeding them mouldy bread they wouldn't eat themselves , unhealthy white bread (gives them rickets just like Victorian children) or other unsuitable or rancid materials chucked in to eat. So not so bird brained after all are they? And good recycling.

A sea of tulips in Victoria Park's oval garden.

Jungle Jangle- the much wilder and sprawling back woods. Can you spot a 'Tigger' yet children? They are often well camouflaged in this kind of environment.

Overview of the Oval.

The Daffodil Meadows.

Suburbia Dreaming in May.

Parklife.

A perfect combination.

And a mechanical crow with camera eyes to protect all this hard work and glory from 'Morlocks.' Any garden of Eden takes time, labour and skill to keep it looking that way so many. many thanks to Glasgow's Parks Department.

 And a bouncy upbeat number of equal colour and artistry to match. Heard this song a while ago. Catchy.